Crashed Russian helicopter found, search for bodies continues

The helicopter was found at a depth of 110 meters; rescue services fear half of the passengers dead.

According to Russian media, a remotely-operated underwater craft was used to locate the wreckage. The aircraft’s tail has broken off, but no further damage to the fuselage was identified.

“The body of one of the passengers was found,” a spokesperson of the Investigative Committee of Russia told Vesti.ru. “We are looking at the possibility of lifting the aircraft out of the water.”

According to the media, the body was located during the same deep-water operation. The fate of the other passengers remains unknown, but according to the rescue services, there is little chance of finding them alive.

The Mil Mi-8 helicopter of Vityaz-Aero company, carrying tourists, crashed on August 12 in the Kuril lake in the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia’s Far East. Of the 13 passengers and 3 crew onboard, 8 people survived and managed to escape from the sinking aircraft.

Russian authorities have started an inquiry into the crash. A heavy fog and a malfunction of the helicopter's equipment are cited as probable causes.